When Al Jazeera launched from the Qatari capital, Doha, on Friday, November 1, 1996, it was the first independent news channel in the Arab world. Media in the Arab world, till then, was characterised by state-controlled narratives that denied audiences the right to know and the right to be heard.

Al Jazeera pioneered a new paradigm for in-depth journalism that was relevant to its audience, giving them a broad and deep perspective on regional and international affairs, putting the human being directly at the centre of the news agenda. The Channel’s founding tagline, “The Opinion and the Other Opinion”, encapsulated bringing multiple angles to a story, informing and empowering its audiences, championing their stories, while maintaining the spirit of journalistic integrity.